Offline Donations Transform St Mary Magdalen’s Church Brighton

“As Fundraiser for the Diocese of Middlesbrough, I have had a consistently positive experience working with Dona, who supply our digital donation devices and online giving pages. From the very beginning of our relationship, the entire Dona team has been supportive, approachable, and a pleasure to work with.

Their attention to detail is excellent, ensuring that our digital giving systems are set up accurately, clearly branded, and easy for both parishioners and visitors to use. They take time to understand the needs of our parishes and the wider diocesan context, which makes their support feel genuinely tailored rather than generic.

I have built a great working relationship with all members of the Dona team, and communication has always been open and constructive. Feedback is actively welcomed, and Dona are always keen to listen and, where possible, develop and refine their systems with customers firmly in mind. This collaborative approach has been invaluable in helping us improve digital giving across the Diocese.

Dona’s professionalism, responsiveness, and commitment to continuous improvement make them a trusted partner, and I would confidently recommend them to any organisation looking to enhance their digital fundraising.”

Dan Woodgate, MCIOF (Dip)

Fundraising Officer at Diocese of Middlesbrough

£430,000+ |Total fundraised on Dona since 2022

£11+ |Average donation value

47% | Donations given with Gift Aid

10500 | Individual donors to date

9000 | Forecast of new donors in 2026 based on AI insights

Case Study: How the Diocese of Middlesbrough Raised Over £430,000 with Dona Donations

The Diocese of Middlesbrough has transformed its digital giving landscape through a long-term strategic partnership with Dona Donations, implementing digital fundraising terminals, online giving tools, and a centralised management system.

With over £430,000 raised (as of January 2026), the Diocese has demonstrated how modern, accessible giving technology can revitalise parish fundraising, engage donors more effectively, and streamline administrative processes across a diverse set of churches.

The Challenge

Before adopting Dona, parishes across the Diocese faced several challenges:

Highly varied levels of digital readiness between parishes
Limited administrative resources to manage multiple giving systems
Difficulty tracking and forecasting giving trends across several dozen churches
Missed opportunities for Gift Aid capture due to manual processes
The need for accessible giving options for parishioners who no longer carry cash

To address these issues, the Diocese sought a unified digital fundraising solution that could be rolled out at scale while remaining flexible enough to support the individual needs of each parish.

The Solution: Dona Digital Fundraising Ecosystem

1. Digital Fundraising Terminals Across the Diocese

Dona digital terminals were introduced across a wide range of parish environments—from small rural communities to large multi-church parishes—providing:

Fast, intuitive card and contactless giving
Real-time reporting
On-screen Gift Aid capture, driving the Diocese’s 47% Gift Aid average

These machines helped standardise digital giving while respecting the unique character of each parish.

2. Parent Account Centralisation

A major driver of success was the Diocese’s adoption of Dona’s Parent Account, designed specifically for dioceses and large charities managing multiple branches.

The Parent Account structure enables the Diocese of Middlesbrough to:

Use a secure, central login to manage all parishes from one administrative hub
Access centralised AI insights and forecasting, providing leadership with detailed trends, performance analytics, and predictions across the entire Diocese
Provide secure individual logins for each parish (“child accounts”), ensuring local teams can manage their own fundraising while remaining connected to the diocesan structure
Enjoy personal Account Management and Parent Account support webinars, helping fundraising teams upskill and adopt best practices

This framework allowed the Diocese to strike the right balance between diocesan oversight and parish-level autonomy.

3. Online Giving Pages for Every Parish

Dona also provided free online giving pages, which became a vital add-on to in-person terminals. These pages enabled:

QR code giving for in-church signage, newsletters, and printed materials
Donate buttons placed on parish websites, supporting giving beyond Sunday services
Easy sharing for special appeals or seasonal campaigns
A cashless option for parishioners and visitors

These online giving tools significantly broadened donation opportunities—often with no additional effort required from parish teams.

Working in Partnership: Tailored Support for Varied Parish Needs

One of the most impactful elements of the Diocese’s success was its close collaboration with Dona. The Diocese worked with Dona’s support and success teams to:

Develop tailored onboarding for both technologically confident and hesitant parishes
Structure multi-site parishes so giving is centralised even when multiple terminals are placed across different church buildings
Continually refine reporting and insights to best serve diocesan oversight
Provide coaching that helped smaller parishes maximise their digital fundraising potential
Adopt best practices that enabled larger parishes to streamline their donation processes

This combination of technology and tailored support helped ensure that every parish—regardless of size or resources—benefited from the rollout.

Impact

Financial Impact

The Diocese’s fundraising totals demonstrate the strength of combining user-friendly terminals with structured central management. With an average donation of £11.14 and a Gift Aid rate almost double the UK national average, Dona’s systems have substantially increased net fundraising income.

Administrative Impact

Centralised reporting saved parish staff and diocesan administrators significant time
AI insights supported better budgeting and strategic forecasting
Automated Gift Aid capture reduced paperwork and increased efficiency

Community Impact

Parishioners gained new, convenient ways to give
Digital giving helped include individuals who rarely carry cash
QR codes and online giving supported engagement with visitors, younger donors, and occasional worshippers

Conclusion

The Diocese of Middlesbrough’s partnership with Dona Donations has demonstrated how modern digital giving tools, combined with centralised insights and strong support, can transform fundraising at both parish and diocesan levels. By adopting Dona’s terminals, free online giving pages, and Parent Account structure, the Diocese has strengthened its financial resilience, increased donor engagement, and created a scalable model for digital fundraising across its entire network of parishes.